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Introduction to Socionics

Socionics is a theory of information processing and personality type, distinguished by its information model of the psyche, called Model A, and a model of interpersonal relations. It incorporates Carl Jung's work on Psychological Types with Antoni Kępiński's theory of information metabolism. Socionics is a modification of Jung's personality type theory that uses eight psychic functions. These functions process information at varying levels of competency and interact with the corresponding function in other individuals, giving rise to predictable reactions and impressions—a theory of intertype relations.

Socionics was developed in the 1970s and '80s, primarily by the Lithuanian researcher Aušra Augustinavičiūtė, an economist, sociologist, and dean of the Vilnius Pedagogical University's department of family science. A. Augustinavičiūtė has later shortened her last name from "Augustinavichiute" to "Augusta" to make it easier to spell for foreigners. The name "socionics" is derived from the word "society", because A. Augusta believed that each personality type has a distinct purpose in society, which can be described and explained by socionics. Augusta created symbols to represent the functions described by Carl Jung and — together with a circle of fellow researchers/hobbyists — eventually created what is known as the "socionic model of the psyche" — a description of the psyche where each of the 8 information elements has its place in each person's psyche.

The central idea of socionics is that information is intuitively divisible into eight categories, called information aspects or information elements, which a person's psyche processes using eight psychological functions. Each sociotype has a different correspondence between functions and information elements, which results in different ways of perceiving, processing, and producing information. This in turn results in distinct thinking patterns, values, and responses to arguments, all of which are encompassed within socionic type. Socionics' theory of intertype relations is based on the interaction of these functions between types.

Delta – the quadral complex of "clipped [undercut] wings", as any quadral complex, comes from a set of four aspects that predominate in this quadra: evolutionary logic of actions (+Te), evolutionary ethics of relations (+Fi), involutionary intuition of potential (-Ne), and involutionary sensing of sensations (-Si), that form three dominant quadral traits:

1. "Aristocratic" trait (rational aspects are evolutionary, with a plus sign; irrational aspects are involutionary, with a minus sign: +Te, +Fi, -Ne, -Si)
In accordance with this trait, every person has the right 1) to establish relations of subordination 2) to create a hierarchy, support and protect it 3) to support already established within the hierarchy traditions and rituals and keep track of their observance 4) to subordinate those below him and to comply with those above him 5) to put claims to the dominant positions within the system and to fight for one’s right to occupy them 6) to fight for and to accumulate positional advantages in rights, privileges, and opportunities 7) to interact with others from positions of advantage 8) to suppress with the authority of personal opinion and action 9) to control and critique the statements of lower ranking members of the hierarchy, limiting their right to expression on any forbidden subjects 10) to authoritatively impose one's own point of view, decisions, power, and will.

2. "Objectivist" trait (predominance of evolutionary logic of actions and ethics of relations: +Fi +Te)
In accordance with this trait, every person has the right 1) to trust their personal experience – professional, pragmatic, business experience derived from personal observations – and insist on one’s right to further act in accordance to it 2) to trust facts and to become persuaded by facts – to provide them as the main proof of one's correctness 3) to evaluate the situation by already transpired facts and to act in accordance with circumstances existing up to date, trusting one's own experience and one's notion of expedience of a particular course of action 4) to evaluate a person according to the level of his qualifications, based on facts of his professional training, attainments, and competence 5) to remove (or ask for removal) from work those who are
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Gamma – the quadral complex of "tied [bound] hands", as any quadral complex, comes from a set of four aspects that predominate in this quadra: evolutionary volitional sensing (+Se), evolutionary intuition of time (+Ni), involutionary logic of actions (-Te), and involutionary ethics of relations (-Fi), that form three dominant quadral traits:

1. "Democratic" trait (rational aspects are involutionary, with a minus sign; irrational aspects are evolutionary, with a plus sign: -Fi, -Te, +Se, +Ni)
In accordance with this trait, every person has the right 1) to interact with others as equals 2) to strive towards maximally possible creative self-realization 3) to freely develop one's business and creative initiatives 4) to fight for equality in rights and possibilities to creatively realize oneself 5) to defend one's own right to freedom of action and to an adequate response by action 6) to have freedom for enterprise, for making decisions, and for defending one's own point of view.

2. "Decisive" trait (predominance of evolutionary irrational aspects +Ni +Se)
In accordance with this trait, every person has the right 1) to interact with others from position of power 2) to operatively, in condensed periods of time, solve problems, his own and those of others, making responsible decisions and making others obey them 3) to decisively defend one's own right to labor, right to freedom of entrepreneurial activity and freedom of choice of profession 4) to resolutely defend one's own point of view, to advantageously and operatively use one's own fighting qualities and particularities of the ongoing moment.

3. "Objectivist" trait (predominance of involutionary logic of actions and ethics of relations -Fi -Te)
In accordance with this trait, every person has the right 1) to trust their personal experience – professional, pragmatic, business experience derived from personal observations – and insist on one’s
...

Beta - quadra complex of being subservient (or being a "satrap"), as any quadral complex, comes from a set of four information elements that predominate in this quadra – evolutionary logic of relations (+Ti), evolutionary ethics of emotions (+Fe), involutionary volitional sensing (-Se), and involutionary intuition of time (-Ni), and this, in turn, forms three dominant quadral features:

1. "Aristocratic" trait (rational aspects are evolutionary, with a plus sign; irrational aspects are involutionary, with a minus sign: +Fe, +Ti, -Se, -Ni)
In accordance with this trait, every person has the right 1) to create a hierarchy, establishing relations of subordination, to subordinate those below him and to comply with those above him 2) to support already established within
...

Alpha - the quadral complex of "closed [shut] mouth", as any quadral complex, originates from a set of four aspects dominant in this quadra - evolutionary intuition of potentials (+Ne), evolutionary sensing of sensations (+Si), involutionary ethics of emotions (-Fe), and involutionary logic of relations (-Ti), which in turn form three dominant quadral traits.

1. "Democratic" trait (rational aspects are involutionary, with a minus sign; irrational aspects are evolutionary, with a plus sign: -Fe, -Ti, +Ne, +Si)
In accordance with this trait, every person has the right 1) to interact with others as an equal 2) to have equal rights and opportunities 3) to fight and contend for equal rights and opportunities 4) to freely express on any topic 5) to freely defend their point of view 6) to strive to defend their
...

If you are coming from MBTI please note that Socionics assigns j/p letters differently from the way MBTI does. Do not translate your MBTI type directly to Socionics type. If you want to find out your Socionics type, you can take socionics type tests, fill out a typing questionnaire form or make a freeform thread in What's My Type subforum, and read through the type discussions posted in socionics resources thread. Participating in forum discussions and chatbox provides more accurate feedback and type suggestions in typing threads. To read how Socionics j/p letter assignments differ from MBTI J/P visit the type names page.

If you have questions about socionics intertype relations, you can post your inquiry in theIntertype Relations Subforum, or alternatively inquire about it in the forum chatbox (for access please post an introduction to get your account activated).